Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a roof structure, and more particularly, to a roof structure having an integral rain gutter.
It is generally known to provide for a roof support located along a central peak of pitched roofs for small storage and utility buildings or sheds having shallow-pitched roof panels. Such roof supports typically span the length of the roof and provide structural support at the joint between sloped roof panels which abut along the roof peak. The roof support may typically include a separate cover portion to cover the joint and reduce exposure of the joint and shed interior to snow, rain and other weather elements. Roof supports of this type are typically made from lightweight materials and assembled from multiple components manufactured by a thermoplastic molding or extrusion process.
However, such molded and/or extruded thermoplastic roof support assemblies have several disadvantages including roof sagging and concomitant water leakage. Such sagging and leakage is typically due to the relatively low rigidity and the temperature and time dependent creep of the thermoplastic roof support material. These disadvantages have required manufacturers to attempt to develop roof supports that are more rigid, thereby preventing roof sagging and subsequent water leakage. For example, roof supports are now designed to include separate steel rods that are inserted within the extruded roof support to provide more rigidity to the roof support and limit deflection and creep of the roof supports.
Despite such improvements, roofs continue to sag and extruded roof supports continue to deflect, allowing water leakage at the joint. To overcome the water leakage problem, manufacturers began providing a rain gutter in combination with the roof support to capture and divert any water that penetrates the cover and joint along the roof peak to reduce leakage inside the building. Traditionally, rain gutters snap-on to the roof panels under the joint of the roof peak, and any water that creeps along the surface of the roof panels or enters the joint will be directed to the rain gutter for subsequent disposal. Although the addition of rain gutters help to prevent water leakage inside the building, it provides another piece of equipment to manufacture and does not alleviate the problems and disadvantages associated with roof sagging and roof support deflection. As a result, manufacturers have provided columns or other vertical supports within the building to bolster the roof support, resulting in the additional expense associated with several manufacturing processes and assembly operations.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a roof support that provides more rigidity and which can also accommodate water leakage. Therefore, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a roof support with integral gutter. Another objective of the roof support with integral gutter of the present invention is to provide a roof support having higher strength and rigidity, which will limit roof support deflection and roof sag. A related objective of the roof support with integral gutter is that it should not require additional components, such as steel rods, to provide rigidity to the roof support.
Another objective of the roof support with integral gutter of the present invention is to provide a roof support with a panel joint cover and a gutter that are unitarily formed with the roof support by a single manufacturing process, thereby eliminating the necessity to separately manufacture each individual part, and reducing manufacturing costs.
Additionally, an objective of the roof support with an integral gutter is that it should be manufactured by a process that is easy to implement, is versatile, and produces a higher strength product to prevent roof sag that results in subsequent water leakage. Finally, it is an objective of the roof support with integral rain gutter that it provide all of the aforesaid objectives and advantages without incurring any substantial relative disadvantage.